Machine for producing tube-shaped bodies from veneer sheets, especially barrel shells



July 25, 1961 P. THORKILDSEN 93,520

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING TUBE-SHAPED BODIES FROM VENEER SHEETS, ESPECIALLYBARREL SHELLS Filed Sept. 15, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 a a L.

2,993,520 MACHINE FOR PRODUCING TUBE-SHAPED BODIES FROM n ma m L m K B wJuly 25, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 15, 1958 July 25, 1961 R.THORKiLDSEN 2,993,520

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING TUBE-SHAPED BODIES FROM VENEER SHEETS, ESPECIALLYBARREL SHELLS 9 lie 30 Filed Sept. 15, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 UnitedStates Patent.

2,993,520 MACHINE FOR PRODUCING TUBE-SHAPED BODIES FROM VENEER SHEETS,ESPE- CIALLY BARREL SHELLS Per Thorkildsen, Vadfoss St., near Kragero,Norway Filed Sept. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 761,033 6 Claims. (Cl. 144268) Thepresent invention relates to a machine for producing tube-shaped bodiesof veneer sheets or plywood, especially barrel shells, the machine beingof the type comprising a shaft which is supported at one end andpositively rotated, the other end of which carries an expandiblemandrel, and a forming casing or shell consisting of two half partswhich are hinged together and are provided with locking means so as tobe closed and locked together, said mandrel or casing or both beingprovided with heating elements to develop heat for the hardening of thebinder. According to the invention the segments forming the expandiblemandrel comprise or are supported by a number of plungers operatingradially in relation to the central axis of said mandrel and said shaft,which segments are acted upon by a pressure medium applied through themandrel for expanding or contracting it.

The invention is described below with reference to the drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 shows a machine in accordance with the invention, as seen fromthe front with a working table and a finishing or smoothing deviceremoved,

FIG. 2 shows the machine of FIG. 1 in longitudinal cross section,

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross section of the machine;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the machine; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 show details of the machine.

The machine shown in the drawings for the production of barrels ortubular bodies comprises a base 1 which is provided at one side with asupport 2 provided with bearings 3 for supporting one half of a shaft 4which is positively rotated by a belt wheel 5. Belt wheel 5 is coupledwith the shaft 4 by a cone clutch, the two members of which are numbered6 and 7, respectively. Shaft 4 is hollow and closed at one end (theright end inFIG. 2) whereas the other end is provided with a coupling 8connected with a conduit for a pressure medium (not shown).

The other or free end of the hollow shaft carries a mandrel 11 normallyenclosed by a forming shell or casing 9. This shell consists of two halfparts 9' and 9", the last mentioned one being rigidly connected witharms 18' the lower ends of which are hinged to the base plate 1 as willbe described later on; the other half part 9' of the shell is hingedlyconnected with the firstnamed part by a hinge 30 and may be locked inclosed position by a locking device 12, 17, 17".

The mandrel consists of three equal segments 11a, 11b and 110 each ofwhich is supported by four plungers 37 and three parallel ribs 38 fixedto the plungers, so that the entire mandrel has twelve plungers in all.These plungers 37 are arranged in short cylinders 39 rigidly connectedwith the hollow shaft 4 via short sleeves 41 through which the singlecylinder spaces communicate with the inner hollow space of the shaft 4.When air or another suitable medium under pressure is introduced throughthe coupling 8, all the plungers are pressed outwardly in radialdirection so as to force their respective segments 11 in a directiontoward the inner wall of the shell 9. At both ends of the mandrel thesegments 11 are guided by guides 10.

As seen more particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, heating elements 42, 44' and44" are arranged in the segments Patented July 25, 1961 and in bothhalves of the shell 9, respectively, which elements may either be tubecoils to be supplied with steam, or preferably electric resistancewires, with those forming the elements 44 and 44" being connected withan outer electric circuit via the terminal boxes 45' and '45,respectively. The connection between the heating elements 42 and theouter electric circuit is via slip rings 34, the contact brushes ofwhich are not shown in the drawings.

As shown especially in FIG. 6, the longitudinal parallel edges of thesegments 11 are provided with sawtoothed bars 64 and 65, the teeth 66and 67 of which mesh with each other. This is to reduce denting of theinnermost veneer sheet which has its fiber direction arranged parallelwith the axis of the mandrel.

As already mentioned above, the half 9" of the shell 9 is carried by thebase 1. Near each end of half 9", arms 18' protrude downwardly and areinclined in relation to the mean plane of the machine. The two arms 18'are stiffened by stiffening bars or arms 30' as shown in FIG. 3. Arms 18are guided in channelled guides 18 forming parts of a rigid frame 18,22, 35 which is connected with the rear side of the base 1 via lugs 23and pins so as to be swung. The angle of inclination of the frame andthe arms 18 may be adjusted by screws 36 which are screwed into theforemost ends of bars 35 rigidly connected with the guide channels 18.The displacement of the arms 18 in the guides 18 is hydraulicallycontrolled by a cylinder 21 having a plunger. This cylinder is fixed tothe beam 22 interconnecting the lower ends of the channelled guides 18.The plunger rod 20 is connected with the arms 18' via a cross beam 19,as seen in FIG. 1. When a pressure medium is supplied to the cylinder21, the entire system consisting of the arms 18, 30', the beam 19, andthe plunger rod 20, as well as the shell 9, may be moved to and from themandrel 11 when the half 9 of the shell has been swung away from themandrel about the hinge 30.

The system is also under the influence of one or two other hydrauliccylinders 32 which are swingably connected with the base 1 at 34 and theplunger rod 31 of which is connected with one of the stiffening bars 30.Between the cylinder 32 and the plunger rod 31 is arranged a helicalspring 33 serving to damp shocks.

FIG. 2 also shows the driving means for the shaft 4 in the form of anelectric motor 29 disposed interiorly of the support 2 and connectedwith a belt wheel 27 via a belt 28. Wheel 27 drives another belt wheel26 via a worm gearing 25, and wheel 26 rotates the shaft 4 via the beltwheel 5 and a belt 24. As already mentioned, the clutch 6, 7 is shown asan ordinary cone friction clutch which is, in the present case,preferably hydraulically operated.

The locking means for the shell consists of a rod 12 and hinge parts 17and 17" rigidly connected with the two halves 9 and 9", respectively.This locking means is hydraulically operated. The rod 12 forms the outerend of a rod of a piston disposed in a cylinder 13 which is connectedwith a pressure source through the tube 16, a valve 17, and tubes 14 and15 connected with each one end of the cylinder 13. This cylinder and thetubes 14 and 15 are supported by brackets 13' fixed to the front side ofthe support 2, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 4.

As seen in FIG. 3, there is provided on the working side at the front ofthe mandrel 10 and the shell 9 a table 56 upon which the veneer sheetsare placed before they are wrapped on the mandrel. Below table 56 is aslicing and finishing machine for the hardened barrel body, as also seenin FIG. 4. The machine is arranged on a carriage 48 sliding on rails 47vsupported on posts 46 fixed to the base plate 1. On carriage 48 isplaced a motor 50 which, via a belt 51, rotates a shaft 52 arranged forrotation in bearings "52. To each end of the shaft is secured acutting-off saw blade 54 and between the blades 54 are arranged sixmilling cutters 53. As shown in FIG. 3, the carriage 48 is moved on therails 47 hydraulically or pneumatically, controlled by means of acylinder "55 which is connected with a pipe.

When a tube is to be produced, for instance a laminated barrel shell,the veneer sheets are first placed upon one another on the table 56 withalternate fiber direction, either in the form of a stack or preferably,if the barrel body is to be formed of, for instance, five layers, a setof three sheets connected together by paper strips or the like; and uponsaid three layers two additional layers are placed. A suitable binder isapplied to the layers. During this preparatory step, the forming casing9 is open and pulled back with the half 9' swung away from the mandrel.

The front end of the veneer pack or of the connected sheets isintroduced between two of the segments and then the mandrel is rotatedby means of the clutch 6, 7 which is operated pneumatically so as tocouple the shaft 4 with the belt wheel 5 continuously driven from themotor 29, FIG. 2. First the veneer sheets are wrapped on the mandrel,followed by four veneer strips which are to form girths andend-reinforcements of the barrel body. Preferably the veneer strips areconnected with their front ends to the rear edge of the veneer pack orsheets connected together so as to form a combined piece of material tobe wrapped upon the mandrel in one continuous operation. After all theveneer sheets and strips have been wrapped upon the mandrel, rotation ofthe mandrel is stopped and the casing 9 is placed around the mandrel andlocked in position by operation of the rod 12. As seen in FIG. 2, theshell has four peripheral grooves 58 and 59 in its inner wall for takingup the veneer strips which form the girths and the end-reinforcements ofthe barrel. Immediately after the casing 9 has been closed and locked,pressure is applied to the inner space of the shaft 4 through thecoupling 8 so that the plungers 37 are pressed outwardly in radialdirection to carry with them the segments 11a, 11b and 11c forming themandrel 11; consequently the segments are pressed against the inner wallof the shell with the wrapped veneer sheets disposed therebetween.

Owing to the fact that the veneer sheets were wrapped 'on the mandrelwhen it had its smallest diameter, the

movement of the segments will create a peripheral mutual f strip will bepressed into the grooves 58 and 59 against 7 the bottom of the same.

The outer ends of 'the segments 11 are preferably' slightly conical andare rifled in the peripheral direction to form a frusto conical rifledportion 62 at each end of the barrel body, as shown in FIG. 5. Theserifled end portions serve the purpose of keeping the bottom and the lidof the barrels in place after they have been applied. As soon as thesegments have reached their outermost position pressed tightly againstthe inner side of the veneer pack, heat is applied to the mandrel 11 andto the casing 9 by the heating elements .42, 44 and 44" connected withan external electric circuit. As soon as at least a preliminaryhardening has taken place, the rod' 12 is withdrawn by supplying apressure medium to the cylinder '13 through the tube 14, whereupon thehalf 9' of the casing is swung away from the mandrel and the entirecasing is retracted.

Immediately thereafter, the pressure medium is suppartly hardened veneershell on it. The motor 50 also rotates, driving the shaft 52 with thetools 53 and 54. During a slow motion of the carriage 48 the saw blades54 will cut off both ends 63 of the barrel body 60 (FIG. 5).Simultaneously the milling cutters 53 will mill off the sharp edges ofthe girths and the reinforcing bands. One of these reinforcing bands '61is shown in FIG. 5 after the corresponding milling tool has milled offthe inner edge.

As soon as this finishing work has been completed, the carriage 48 isagain withdrawn, whereupon the pressure in the inner of the shaft 4 andthe cylinders 39 isreleased so that the segments 11 are moved back totheir initial position. The barrel body may now be pulled off themandrel and needs to be interiorly milled near the edges to remove thedents or bumps at the places corresponding to the openings between theteeth 66 and 67, as seen in FIG. 6.

I claim:

1. A machine for producing tube-shaped bodies from laminated sheetscomprising, in combination, a rotatable shaft carrying at one end anexpansible mandrel, a forming casing defined by two hinged halvesdisposed around said mandrel in spaced relation thereto, said casingbeing openable to permit entry of the laminated sheets into engagementwith said mandrel, and said mandrel being defined by a plurality ofcircumferentially adjacent segments, and fluid actuatable pistonssupporting said segments and carried by said shaft, said shaftcontaining a conduit for supplying fluid to said pistons to cause saidsegments to move radially outwardly toward the interior surface of saidcasing, and means for holding said casing closed.

2. A machine for producing tube-shaped bodies from laminated sheetscomprising, in combination, a rotatable shaft carrying at one end anexpansible mandrel, a forming casing defined by two hinged halvesdisposed around said mandrel in spaced relation thereto, said casingbeing openable to permit entry of the laminated sheets into engagementwith said mandrel, and said mandrel being defined by a plurality ofcircumferentially' adjacent segments, and fluid actuatable pistonssupporting said segments and carried by said shaft, said shaftcontaining a conduit for supplying fluid to said pistons to cause saidsegments to move radially outwardly toward the interior surface of saidcasing, and at least one of said mandrel and said casing being providedwith heating means, and means for holding said casing closed. 7

3. A machine for producing tube-shaped bodies from laminated sheetscomprising, in combination, .a rotatable shaft carrying at one end anexpansible mandrel, a forming casing defined by two hinged halvesdisposed around said mandrel in spaced relation thereto, said casingbeing formed with annular grooves on its inner surface and beingopenable to permit entry of the laminated sheets intoengagement withsaid mandrel, and said mandrel being defined by a plurality ofcircumferentially adjacent segments and fluid actuatable pistonssupporting said segments, and carried by said shaft, said shaftcontaining a conduit for supplying fluid to said pistons to cause saidsegments to move radially outwardly toward the interior surface of saidcasing, and at least one of said mandrel and said casing being providedwithheating means, and means for holding said casing closed.

4; A machine for producing tube-shaped bodies from laminated sheetscomprising, in combination, a rotatable shaft carrying at one end anexpansible mandrel, a forming casing defined by two hinged halvesdisposed around said mandrel in spaced relation thereto, said casingbeing openable'to permit entry of the 'laminanted sheets into engagementwith said mandrel and said mandrel being defined by a plurality ofcircumferentiallyadjacent segments and fluid actuatable pistonssupporting said segments and carried by said shaft, said shaftcontaining a conduit for supplying fluidto said pistons to cause saidsegments to move radially outwardly toward the interior surface of saidcasing, and the ends of said segments each having' a conicalenlargement, and means for holding said casing closed.

5. A machine for producing tube-shaped bodies from laminated sheetscomprising, in combination, a rotatable shaft carrying at one end anexpansible mandrel, a forming casing defined by two hinged halvesdisposed around said mandrel in spaced relation thereto, said casingbeing openable to permit entry of the laminated sheets into engagementwith said mandrel, and said mandrel being defined by a plurality ofcircumferentially adjacent segments and fluid actuatable pistonssupporting said segments, and carried by said shaft, said shaftcontaining a conduit for supplying fluid to said pistons to cause saidsegments to move radially outwardly toward the interior surface of saidcasing, and the ends of said segments each having a conical enlargementwhich is rifled peripherally, and means for holding said casing closed.

6. A machine for producing tube-shaped bodies from laminated sheetscomprising, in combination, a rotatable shaft carrying at one end anexpansible mandrel, a forming casing defined by two hinged halvesdisposed around said mandrel in spaced relation thereto, said casingbeing openable to permit entry of the laminated sheets into engagementwith said mandrel, and said mandrel being defined by a plurality ofcircumierentially adjacent segments and fluid actuatable pistonssupporting said segments, and carried by said shaft, said shaftcontaining a conduit for supplying fluid to said pistons to cause saidsegments to move radially outwardly toward the interrior surface of saidcasing, the ends of said segments each having a conical enlargementwhich is rifled peripherally, and at least one of said mandrel and saidcasing being provided with heating means, and means for holding saidcasing closed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,022,970 Ott Apr. 9, 1912 1,501,593 Geyer et a1. July 15, 19241,507,323 Nellis Sept. 2, 1924 2,353,134 Anderson July 11, 19442,365,754 Gramelspacher Dec. 26, 1944 2,411,687 James Nov. 26, 19462,460,845 Rempel Feb. 8, 1949 2,616,463 Potchen Nov. 4, 1952 2,655,187Moe Oct. 13, 1953 2,678,677 Hervey et ai. May 18, 1954 2,840,856 MoxnessJuly 1, 1958 2,892,749 Carpenter June 30, 1959

